Political Science
Assessment Report
January 2005
Students presenting Political Science as a major at Minnesota State University Moorhead are expected to have a basic understanding of the issues, concepts, and principles in each of the major fields of the discipline, and to have a more complete, sophisticated understanding of knowledge and research in at least one field. In addition, students are expected to be able to read analytically, think critically, and organize ideas about the subject matter of the discipline in oral and written form so that information is communicated intelligently, intelligibly, and professionally.
The introductory courses in each field of the discipline include requirements explicitly designed to assess student mastery of the learning outcomes (e.g., problem sets, short written assignments, papers, essay questions). Assessment of the introductory learning outcomes relies on course-embedded assessment. Each faculty member will designate and use the relevant items to assess political science majors. Upper-division learning outcomes will be assessed using the upper-division course rating form and the student exit questionnaire.
The assessment committee gave final approval to our new assessment plan last year and this is our first year of implementation. Our plan calls for the Department to designate one set of learning outcomes to be the focus of assessment for that year. This first year we designated American politics. Three introductory courses are involved – American National Government (120), Making Sense of Politics (105), and State and Local Government (221). Given that this report comes in January, it only includes an examination of course-embedded assessment from 120 and 105. Spring sections of these courses and 221, which is only offered in the Spring semester, cannot be included. The only upper-division course applicable as of this date is Parties and Interest Groups (324). Each year we also ask graduating students to fill out our Senior Exit Questionnaire. This is given to students when they come to the chair for the required signature for their graduation form.
In American politics course-embedded assessment from introductory courses are to evaluate the following student learning outcomes: 1)students should have a basic understanding of the institutions, influences and processes that make up American government and politics; 2)students should have a basic understanding of the vital role citizen participation in American politics; 3)students should have a basic understanding of the influence of the electoral system on American institutions and policies. American National Government is used to assess each of the three learning outcomes. Sense of Politics is used to assess only the last two learning outcomes. For upper-division courses at least one of these learning outcomes is assessed using course-embedded measures plus each class has a specific learning outcome that is assessed using the appropriate questions on the upper-division rating form. (See Appendix A [PDF] for complete form.)
American National Government is a required course for political science majors. Five majors completed the course during the Fall 2004 semester. The instruments used to assess the learning outcomes consist of multiple-choice questions and short answer questions on exams that correspond most appropriately with the learning outcome. On questions related to students’ basic understanding of the institutions, influences and processes that make up American government and politics, students averaged 85%. On questions related to students’ basic understanding of the vital role citizen participation in American politics, students averaged 86%. On questions related to students’ basic understanding of the influence of the electoral system on American institutions and policies, students averaged 85%. These results indicate that majors are consistently gaining the needed fundamental knowledge required before they take on the greater challenges presented in upper-division courses.
Making Sense of Politics (105) is an elective course for political science majors. Three political science majors completed the course during the Fall 2004 semester. Two instruments were used to assess the participation objective. First, an essay question on an hour exam asks students to discuss the role of participation in democratic theory, and to evaluate the impact on democracy of the actual patterns of participation in the United States. Second, students are asked to complete a short paper (3-4 pages) investigating and explaining the opportunities to participate in a meaningful way to influence policy on a particular issue of their choice. Results on the two instruments are consistent: a mean of 90% on the essay question on the abstract role and importance of participation and 93% on the paper seeking “applied analysis” of participation. An important goal of Political Science 105 is to emphasize the importance of and opportunities for participation. This goal is largely achieved. Students do slightly better on the more specific, applied aspects of participation than on the abstract, conceptual dimensions. This is to be expected in a freshman-level course.
Two elements were used to assess the students’ basic understanding of the influence of the electoral system on American institutions and policies. One is a series of multiple-choice exam questions (over two exams) asking about “nuts and bolts” aspects of the electoral system and the policy process, and the other is an essay question asking them to explain how the electoral process impacts aspects of the policy process. Students achieved a mean of 89% on the multiple-choice questions on the basics of institutions and processes, and 83% on the essay question. Students have a good understanding of the basic features and operation of the electoral system and the policy process. They are somewhat weaker in being able to explain the relationships between the two, a more abstract task.
Six political science majors completed Politics and Interest Groups in the Fall 2004 semester. 324 corresponds to the examination of the third of the introductory student learning outcomes listed above (students should have a basic understanding of the influence of the electoral system on American institutions and policies) and the upper-division learning outcome that states that students should to analyze influences from political parties and interest groups on U.S. electoral and political systems. The first learning outcome is assessed using the term papers required of students for the class. This assignment required students to research a topic that demonstrated the role of parties or interest groups in the 2004 election. They could examine a single state or federal race or multiple races whichever helped them address their topic. As part of the assignment students examined existing literature on their topic and explain how it applied to their 2004 race or race(s) as it related to their topic. Five of the majors completed the paper. One student failed to turn in a paper and gave no indication to the professor why. The five majors who completed the paper demonstrated a clear ability to analyze influences from parties and interest groups. All the students capably reviewed existing literature on their topic and all were able to appropriately apply that literature to their race or races. These results indicate students are generally able to understand the influences of parties and interest groups on electoral and political systems.
The second learning outcome tied to this class is assessed using an upper-division course rating form. Students are assessed by the professor using a 7-point scale in which 1 is poor, 4 is average and 7 is excellent. The students’ ratings on their understanding of knowledge and research in American politics are based on three questions: 1)student’s ability to understand and apply principles, theories, and practices of institutions; 2)student’s ability to analyze influences of parties and interest groups in US politics; and 3)student’s ability to apply knowledge of institutions and behavior to analyze current politics and problems. The majors in 324 were rated as slightly above average on each of these with average scores of 5.3, 5.3 and 4.8. The scores on their ability to apply knowledge to analyze current politics were slightly lower than for the first two. Students are better able to understand the influences of parties and interest groups through examination and review of established literature. They are not as successful at analyzing new quantitative and qualitative data they have gathered themselves. Advancing this latter skill is, of course, part of the purpose of the term paper assignment discussed above.
The rating form also has four questions on research and communication skills that are applicable to 324. They are: 1)student’s ability to use the library and other resources; 2)student demonstrates technical writing skills, including use of APSA format; 3)student’s ability to write logically and engagingly; and 4)student’s ability to present clear, appropriate oral presentations. Again, the majors in 324 were rated as slightly above average with average scores of 5.5, 5.2, 5.3 and 4.7. These scores are skewed somewhat by having 1 of the 6 failing to complete the term paper which the professor can only interpret as an inability to use and apply the skills measured here.
The overall assessment of majors in 324 drawn from all of the measures discussed above indicates students’ abilities to apply the knowledge acquired in the course does not quite match their comprehension of that knowledge. The ability of students to understand and analyze political science research is more developed than their ability to do their own analyses on a topic.
The Senior Exit Questionnaire (See Appendix B [PDF] for complete form.) asks graduating students to evaluate their performance in the Department of Political Science at Minnesota State University Moorhead. They are asked to rate their overall experiences and understanding of the materials in each area using a 7-point scale in which, once again, 1 is poor, 4 is average and 7 is excellent. This questions mirror the evaluations we use to evaluate students upper-division course rating form. It also asks students to evaluate the advising they received.
Ten majors answered the questionnaire between September 2004 and the completion of this report. In evaluating their understanding of each of the areas examined, students gave high grades. The average for questions on understanding of American politics was 6.23. The average for questions on understanding of public policy/public administration was 6.1. The average for questions on understanding of public law was 5.7. The average for questions on understanding of international/comparative politics was 5.93. The average for questions on understanding of theory and methodology was 5.43. These results indicate that students have confidence in the knowledge they have attained as MSUM political science majors. The lowest scores are registered for theory and methodology, perhaps indicating that students would not be surprised by the assessment results above and recognize that there analytical skills do not fully complement the knowledge they have retained.
The last set of four questions on the form asks students to rate the advising the received. Students consistently gave the faculty the highest score available for an average of 6.83. These excellent scores were also reflected in the comments added by 4 students in the space provided at the end of form. These are the only students who wrote comments. One student wrote, “I was very pleaded with the faculty, the variety of courses offered to me and the dedication of the teachers in helping me realize my potential.” Another suggested a “bigger department, more variety (of courses!)” A brief commentator only added, “Great profs. I learned a lot!” Professor Kramer was given specific praise from another graduating senior. “As a transfer student, I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful my advisor, Paul Kramer, was with several issues from parking to campus maps to course books, etc. He was an integral part of my great experience here at MSUM & in the political science department.
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